12 of the Greatest Fishing Memes of All Time

You want fishing memes? We got fishing memes.

Oh, memes. Of all the new developments that have come into our lives since the advent of the Internet – and more recently, of social media – there’s arguably none stranger or sillier than the meme.

Defined as “an element of a culture… passed from one individual to another by non-genetic means,” a meme in the 21st Century is essentially an imitative form of parody that is disseminated through Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media. Most of us would think of memes as little more than “pictures with words on them,” but sometimes, they can pack a hefty amount of humor or illustrate striking truths about their subjects.

View the slideshow for the greatest fishing memes ever.

1. Hipster Fishing

This funny photograph, of an angler trying to catch a fish in a gigantic pothole puddle, has been used for a few different memes, from one boasting the phrase “Fishing Fail” to this hipster-ized version. Snigger-inducing photo and words aside, there’s some truth in this meme. Sometimes, you really do want to get away from the popular fishing spots.

Of course, a puddle isn’t the best choice, but still! Alternatively, this meme could be seen as a satirical response to public service departments who never, ever fix potholes and allow lake-sized puddles like this to form. No matter how you look at it, this meme is a winner.

2. Poor Advertising

Showing an exasperated fish looking at a hook that will quite obviously do him no favors if he bites it, this meme pokes fun at the silly methods we use to catch fish. Sure, they’re not really silly – they catch fish, after all – but would you bite a sharp piece of metal if it were dangling your favorite food right in front of your face, or would you take time to think things through like the fish in this meme?

3.The Most Interesting Man in the World

Derived as a parody of the already funny “Most Interesting Man in the World” ad campaign for Dos Equis beer (“I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis”), this meme is entertainingly based around those boasts that most of us have uttered to our fellow anglers at one time or another.

4. Over-served Angler

“…Teach him how to fish and he will sit in his beer and drink all day.” It’s safe to say that this meme was made by someone who doesn’t fish that often, since it’s based around a popular stereotype (that “fishing” is just a synonym for “drinking on a boat”) that really isn’t terribly accurate. However, for memes that play around with stereotypes, this one does so well, using an incredibly exaggerated photo of a man passed out in a boat full of beer cans. On second thought, maybe this was made by an angler, hoping to mock and discredit the drinking fisherman stereotype? Who knows.

5. Swanson Wisdom

If you’re looking for a hunter or angler’s everyman on network television, look no further than Ron Swanson, the burly, mustachioed character hilariously portrayed by Nick Offerman on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. This meme – as well as plenty of other Swanson-related memes – comes from a still and a line actually used in the show – in case you needed more encouragement. While the laughs will come from the “except I get to kill something” qualifier, there’s some truth in this line: fishing is a monumentally relaxing pastime and can be a great opportunity to get away from it all.

6. Tangled Lines

With that said, there are certainly situations where fishing can be the opposite of relaxing, and the one portrayed in this wildly over-the-top meme is probably Exhibit A. When a fishing spot becomes this crowded, it’s time to branch out and get a bit more creative.

7. Poor Peyton

This meme won’t go down in history as a classic of fishing humor, but in the here and now, it’s worth a few hearty laughs. Following his disastrous performance at this year’s Superbowl, Peyton Manning became the subject of countless different memes in the wake of the Denver Broncos’ crushing defeat. Predictably, this fishing-related take on the matter is our favorite of all the Peyton memes.

8. Launching the Truck

9. Cold, Wet, and Miserable

Honestly, we love ice fishing. There’s something about hooking a fish in the middle of winter that is invigorating enough to make the long, cold, and wet afternoons worthwhile. However, when you can’t seem to land a single fish, ice fishing can be an utterly disheartening and all-around miserable experience. This meme illustrates the point quite humorously.

10. No Such Thing as “Poor Fishing Conditions”

There are anglers who will go out in any sort of whether and who will brave any type of “small craft advisory.” Whether these anglers are brave, stupid, or a little bit of both is hard to say, but this meme is a fitting display of their #YOLO lifestyle.

And while we certainly don’t condone drinking and boating, these guys are certainly up for some excitement should they mix alcohol, bad weather and sharks.

11. The Cruelty of the Weather Gods

Perhaps the most truthful meme on the list, this gem simplistically and concisely relates an utterly infuriating experience that virtually every full-time worker – fishing enthusiast or not – has experienced.

You know the scenario: you wake up on Monday with beautiful weather and perfect fishing conditions and you can’t wait to get out for a fishing trip over the weekend. By the time the weekend finally rolls around, of course, the weather has devolved into wind, clouds, and choppy water. This same thing happens to other professionals who waste the warm, sunny days at work and get to spend the rainy, cold weekends inside.